(Title Image: Stockton Council)
Here’s a line-up for the four Welsh Police & Crime Commissioner elections, as well as a short summary of their platforms/manifestos.
Conveniently, the UK Cabinet Office has published online pamphlets to which each of the candidates were invited to submit a short statement. A link’s been provided to each of them down below.
Here’s a reminder of how the voting system for Police & Crime Commissioners works:
Candidate Leaflet (pdf)
Pat Astbury (Conservative)
Candidate Background: Member of the North Wales Police & Crime Panel; former Mayor of Ruthin.
Policy Priorities:
- “Shut down county lines gangs”.
- More high-visibility patrols to deter anti-social behaviour.
- Focus on rural crime.
- Provide more support to victims of domestic abuse and coercive behaviour.
Andy Dunbobbin (Labour)
Candidate Background: County councillor for Connah’s Quay Golftyn (Flintshire); Member of North Wales Police & Crime Panel.
Policy Priorities:
- Promises better engagement with the public.
- Argue for more investment in services to prevent crime.
- Focus on neighbourhood policing.
Ann Griffith (Plaid Cymru)
Candidate Background: Current Deputy Police & Crime Commissioner for North Wales.
Policy Priorities:
- Ensure the police workforce feels valued and taken care of.
- Champion victims, particularly women and girls.
- Divert low-level offenders to restorative justice programmes to prevent them from committing serious offences in the future.
- Prevent the growth of hate crime and deal with online abuse.
Lisa Wilkins (Lib Dems)
Candidate Background: Worked in education for children and adults, currently a childminder.
Policy Priorities (National Manifesto):
- More visible policing to tackle anti-social behaviour.
- Supports community sentencing and restorative justice for low-level offenders.
- Make it easier to report hate crime; publish a race equality strategy.
- Opposes facial recognition technology and curbs on protests.
Mark Young (Independent)
Candidate Background: Chocolatier. County Councillor for Denbigh Lower (Denbighshire); executive/cabinet member for public protection and community safety & Chair of Safer North Wales partnership board.
Policy Priorities:
- Support visible local policing.
- Prioritise combating county lines drug gangs, modern slavery, child exploitation and help for those with mental health issues.
- Provide more resources to tackle online crime.
- Set up a youth engagement forum; improve diversity within North Wales Police.
Race Verdict
Arfon Jones won fairly convincingly in 2016 and is perhaps the only PCC in Wales who had anything close to a national or regional profile; in many ways and with some irony, he became precisely what the Conservatives hoped PCCs would become. He could probably have run for a second term and won fairly convincingly, though his public health approach to drugs may have presented those on the right with a stick to beat him with.
It’s probably the hardest race of them all to call – impossible even – and will probably come down to second preferences.
Candidate Leaflet (pdf)
John Burns (Conservative)
Candidate Background: Former Cardiff City councillor; former employee for HM Inspectorate of Prisons.
Policy Priorities:
- Recruit an additional 100 police officers.
- Target rural and farm crime.
- Disrupt and dismantle county lines drug gangs.
- Reduce average police response times.
Dafydd Llywelyn (Plaid Cymru)
Candidate Background: Criminologist; current Police & Crime Commissioner for Dyfed-Powys.
Policy Priorities:
- Will not appoint a Deputy PCC to reduce costs.
- Develop a victim-led service; will continue to hold public meetings across the force area.
- Will not privatise any core police services.
- Prioritise working with organisations to support and protect vulnerable people.
Glyn Preston (Lib Dems)
Candidate Background: Politics student, Birmingham University.
Policy Priorities (National Manifesto):
- More visible policing to tackle anti-social behaviour.
- Supports community sentencing and restorative justice for low-level offenders.
- Make it easier to report hate crime; publish a race equality strategy.
- Opposes facial recognition technology and curbs on protests.
Phillipa Thompson (Labour)
Candidate Background: Former junior diplomat; former press officer for Eluned Morgan MS.
Policy Priorities:
- Maintain a low crime rate in the force area.
- Supports a public health approach to reducing crime.
- Promises to listen and “make the police responsive to your needs”.
Race Verdict
As in 2016, it’s likely to be between Plaid Cymru and the Conservatives with Labour a distant threat. You would think that favours the incumbent and assuming most of the second choices from Labour and Lib Dem voter lean towards Plaid Cymru you would assume Dafydd Llywelyn has the advantage.
Candidate Leaflet (pdf)
Mike Baker (Independent)
Candidate Background: Former police officer and barrister; stood for PCC in 2012 and 2016.
Policy Priorities:
- “Tough on crime and the causes of crime”.
- Bring South Wales Police back to full strength.
- Increase a public police presence.
- Divert young people away from crime.
Steve Gallagher (Conservative)
Candidate Background: Former Chief Inspector of South Wales Police; City councillor for Sketty (Swansea).
Policy Priorities:
- Increase public confidence to report crime and anti-social behaviour.
- Tackle business crime and its links to drugs and violence.
- Prioritise tackling knife crime, county lines and cybercrime.
- Support victims of rape and sexual abuse and ensure ease of reporting and response.
Gail John (Propel)
Candidate Background: Teacher/tutor; specialist in childhood trauma.
Policy Priorities:
- Ending abusive practices by South Wales Police.
- Early intervention and harm reduction.
- Supports restorative justice.
- An independent investigation into the Dai Morris case (Clydach murders).
Callum Littlemore (Lib Dems)
Candidate Background: Communication Officer, Asthma UK & British Lung Foundation.
Policy Priorities (National Manifesto):
- More visible policing to tackle anti-social behaviour.
- Supports community sentencing and restorative justice for low-level offenders.
- Make it easier to report hate crime; publish a race equality strategy.
- Opposes facial recognition technology and curbs on protests.
Nadine Marshall (Plaid Cymru)
Candidate Background: Lecturer; campaigner for victims and victims’ families (her son was murdered by a serial offender who was on probation at the time).
Policy Priorities:
- Prioritise victims of crime and “let criminals know they will be caught”.
- Divert young people away from crime.
- Prioritise drug crime and anti-social behaviour.
Alun Michael (Labour)
Candidate Background: Current Police & Crime Commissioner for South Wales; former MP and First Minister.
Policy Priorities:
- Standing on a “proven track record of delivery”; no specific new policies/will react to events.
Race Verdict
While Alun Michael is still likely to be the clear favourite, his first preference vote seemed to be in line with what Labour achieved in the Senedd in 2016. If there’s a further fall he might be in a bit of trouble; if it holds up he should be re-elected.
There are more choices this time around. The Conservatives changed their candidate at the last minute (it was originally Bridgend councillor, Carolyn Webster) – though ex-police officers do tend to have a patchy record in these elections generally. Plaid Cymru went very close to going into the run-off last time and the extra publicity around Nadine Marshall’s campaign (and compelling story) may help.
Candidate Leaflet (pdf)
Donna Cushing (Plaid Cymru)
Candidate Background: County councillor for Hengoed (Caerphilly).
Policy Priorities:
- Improve police training, particularly to deal with disability and mental health.
- Encourage front line police staff to take part in youth activities to build trust.
Jeff Cuthbert (Labour)
Candidate Background: Current Police & Crime Commissioner for Gwent; former MS and Welsh Government Minister.
Policy Priorities:
- Further develop victim support services.
- Promise to treat all communities in Gwent “fairly and equally”.
- Continue the “Mini Police” programme in primary schools.
Paul Harley (Independent)
Candidate Background: Telecoms & IT; former Chair of the Rail Passengers Committee.
Policy Priorities:
- Reduce the cost of the office; won’t appoint a deputy.
- Carry out a full review of expenditure and freeze the precept until that review is completed.
- Support domestic abuse victims to come forward and ensure an officer and forensic officer attends all crime scenes where there’s a chance of obtaining DNA evidence.
- Promises to clamp down on anti-social behaviour by ensuring the accused go through the criminal justice system (I assume this means there’ll be no “slaps on the wrist”).
Hannah Jarvis (Conservative)
Candidate Background: Former civil servant and army reserve officer. Caseworker for David TC Davies MP (Monmouth).
Policy Priorities:
- Tackle dangerous drivers by increasing investment in road safety teams.
- Increase resources to rural crime teams.
- Increase police patrols generally; review police station closures.
- Back anti-drug operations to deal with county lines.
Clayton Jones (Gwlad)
Candidate Background: Bar owner, former (controversial) bus operator.
Policy Priorities:
- “Won’t pander to the easily offended”.
- Supports moves towards a single all-Wales police force.
- Prioritise youth work for low-level offenders.
John Miller (Lib Dem)
Candidate Background: Sales/businessman.
Policy Priorities (National Manifesto):
- More visible policing to tackle anti-social behaviour.
- Supports community sentencing and restorative justice for low-level offenders.
- Make it easier to report hate crime; publish a race equality strategy.
- Opposes facial recognition technology and curbs on protests.
Race Verdict
It would take a brave person to bet against Jeff Cuthbert being re-elected, but he faces a bit more credible opposition this time – particularly from the Conservatives. Second choices will likely be critical and that may put Jeff Cuthbert over the line.
